The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1887-10-28
SOCIAL CUTTHR0ATS.

SOCIAL CUTTHROATS.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A coTERlE
OF NEW YORK WASHERS.
Well Dressed Destroyers who Keep
Quiet About Their villalny.The 3Iasher
with the White Lock-Daily Round of
skillful Operator.
"He belongs to curious set of New
York men," said the judge. "They are
creatures of q recent growth, and doubt
very much if similar specimens Of the
genus man can be found anywhere else in
the world. They4.are called 'mashers' in
general way, but they are in no sense
like the gorgeous London man who has
given the word smasher' its highest mean
ing The British 'masher' is creature
of noble apparel, solemn and dissipated
air, advanced degrees in the courts of
bankruptcy and general impressiveness.
He wears great many suits of clothes
actress and drives dashing traps.
York has none of these proclivities. They
are men who have lived on the surface Of
the town for many years, whose names
are familiar in all of the restaurants and
clubs, and who have gained in one way
Or another regulations as slayers of femi-
nine hearts, which stand them in enor-
nous value. They are not in society,
sneer at the idea of toll live in the best
possible manner, dress quietly, and are
absolutely mum about the numerous
affairs in which they pass their lives.
know dozen men in this particular
crowd, but never knew one of them to
break the rules of the peculiar free
masonry which apparently exists among
them to keep quiet about their escapades.
This is the most curious feature of the
whole thing A masher who does not
talk when success has crowned his efforts
would be rarity anywhere else except
in this extraordinary coterie. They are
queer lot, and can't say that consider
them credit to the city,"
1t affords droll study Of human
nature to watch the operations of the
mashers. Most of their faces are as
familiar to up town people rs the Fifth
Avenue hotel. Their mode of life is SIM
pie. Take, for instance, o cold and austere
man, with blonde mustache, regular
profile, square shoulders and careless car
riage, who has been more or less famous
about town for fifteen years. He has
scar running diagonally across his fore
head, and just above it is single lock or
Hsplash" of hair that is as white as
snow, though the rest Of his hair is dark.
have heard it enviably remarked by
other mashers that this gentleman's chief
success is due to the immobility of his
face, the yellowncss Of his mustache, the
whiteness of the splash and the dark mass
of hair which throws it into such sharp
relief. He is, in fact, known as ellis
years ago O. woman followed him in q cab
down Fifth avenue, slipped out as he
ascended the steps of rivals
house, ran up the steps, and pushing
revolver against his head, blazed away.
The bullet, instead of going through the
skull, ran across the forehead She went
to Europe in the arms of her amiable
husband, and "His Contrasts" retired
into painful obscurity for time. Five
years after that he was mixed up in
row which is still talked about by old
timers 1t was three cornered fight
one woman and two men-in the cabin Of
yacht in the lower bay. When they
dragged ellis Contrasts" out he was
pretty well knocked to pieces. Two ribs
were broken, and his general physical
welfare very sensibly impaired, but he
came up smiling, as usual. Ihave known
him for many years. He has but one
object in life.
day to day. have had many opportuni-
ties for observing him, as we once had
neighboring apartments in the same hotel,
and he used TO a1nuse himself when he
had an occasional half hour Of leisure
from his arduous duties by turning the
pictures in my room wrong side foremost,
bribing the chanbermaid to. sew the
hangings into all sorts of grotesque posi-
tions, littering my desk with violent tele-
grams and indulging in various other
cheerful and endearing pranl1s. At 10
O'Clock every morning the chalnbermaid
pounded loudly at his door.
II the tattoo was loud enough the door
would open suddenly, there would be
wild scream and q pattering of feet as the
chambermaid scudded out of danger, aud
the masher would rush out into the hall
clad in pajamas, bath robes, nightcap, felt
slippers, and carrying q sponge the size Of
a bushel basket. Flo would then wander
in more or less desultory way toward the
bathroom, stopping to pound Oh doors that
caught his Eghtsome fancy, and shying
boots through the transoms OF rooms
where men lived who had the distinguished
misfortune to possess his friendship.
| About an hour and o half later he
would wander into the main dining room
Of the hotel, cast his experienced eye over
the people assembled there and eat a very
light breakfast. He wore IL frock suit all
day long, and his tailor made half dozen
year for him. After breakfast he in
variably lighted big cigar, and, if the
weather was clear, strolled up Fifth
avenue as far as Central park, and smiled
amiably upon the troops of pretty girls
who were out with their governessses,
nurses, companions, and chaperones, tax
ing tho morning air. Every girl over 10
years of age apparently knew his history,
3, for they would stare at him and peep
over their shoulders rs he passed, in a
fashion that would startle society actor.
AT half past or 2 o'clock he drifted
slowly info Delmonico's, scanned the
faces, acknowledged the srlrly mods of
other mashers with short inclination of
his head, picked out his table with undevi-
ating skill, and spent the next two or
three hours among the wives and daugh-
ters of other men who were down town
pursuing the elusive dollar. His habit is
to eat slowly, and look, with q gentle and
melancholy air, from one pair of pretty
eyes to another.
II the portraits Of the handful of men
who are a constant subject of talk among
the women of New York were published
they would cause a robust and decisive
sort of derision. The majority Of them
are anything but resplendent or attract
i've. If there is professional matinee, o
picture sale, an art exhibition, boat
race, crack horse auction, dog show,
horse show or circus going on in the after